Cape Town - Kensington residents have written to the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa), calling for urgent intervention amid a spate of robberies at the Century City train station.
At least five people are robbed every day, and when the schools are open, children lose their cellphones to criminals, they say.
Ward 56 councillor, Cheslyn Steenberg, said they had a meeting with the regional manager of Prasa and promises were made.
“It has been a year now and nothing has happened,” said Steenberg.
“While we understand the infrastructure belongs to Prasa, I’m of the opinion the City too can play a role in the form of law enforcement, metro police.
“People have opened cases and some have not because they don’t trust the police. There is crime taking place and people are being targeted and nothing tangible is happening.
“Prasa needs to come to the table and provide active security.
“We are not saying there aren’t guards but people are still robbed because the lights are off.”
Steenberg said it is suspected that criminals are sabotaging the lighting at the station.
“Half of the lights aren’t working and when they are fixed they are off again about 12 hours, so there is sabotage.
“There are also overgrown trees which robbers use to hide.
“We fear the repetition of the serial murders which happened years ago.
“I’m not here to fight but I want safety at the station.
“In Maitland the residents said they are robbed even though the security is there, they say they’re there to guard the infrastructure and not people.
“We need this to be sorted otherwise we are going to take this to court so they can be forced to take responsibility” Steenberg said.
Kensington Community Policing Forum (CPF) deputy chairperson Jameelah Liedemaan said they have not only written to Prasa but to the national Transport Department for intervention.
She said residents alone did not have the capacity to police the area.
“We can only have neighbourhood watch members in the evening because they are all working during the day and the police can’t manage the station 24/7 because that is not the only hotspot, we have 8th and 12th Avenue where the robberies are taking place for people going to Mutual station.
“I wish I had more people who are available during the day because those who are available are scared to be on the station because they are going to be targeted.
“The residents are busy compiling a petition for the minister and Prasa. We have had one successful arrest but there are others, they are a whole team. Five people are robbed every day and then when the school opens the kids will be robbed too.”